The present invention relates to a computer system whose peripheral unit such as a display, a CD-ROM drive, a hard disk drive, etc. can be operated independently from a main portion of the computer.
In recent years, as a novel configuration of the personal computer in the light of being space-saving, there is being developed the integrated display personal computer wherein a display unit comprising a liquid-crystal display panel and a computer unit (hereinafter referred to as a xe2x80x9cPC unitxe2x80x9d for abbreviation) are integrated into a single structural combination. Component parts of the PC unit are housed in a housing of the display unit. The integrated display personal computer of such a configuration has a merit that a display screen can be enlarged without being restricted by its installation location. Therefore, it is conceivable that this computer is used, for example, as a display for other notebook-sized personal computer or as a display for other device such as a portable DVD player.
However, the display unit of the conventional integrated display personal computer cannot be operated solely, which is different from the case of the normal desktop personal computer (comprising a PC unit and a display unit separately). Therefore in a way of use as mentioned above, that is, even in a case where the PC unit doesn""t need to be operated, the entire personal computer including the PC unit needs to be operated, and consequently useless power consumption occurs.
This applies to not only the integrated display personal computer but also other general personal computer having peripheral units. For example, it is conceivable that a personal computer with a built-in peripheral unit having a function of reproducing a medium, such as a CD-ROM drive etc., is used as a media player rather than part of a computer. Or, a hard disk drive thereof is occasionally used as a storage device of other personal computer. Also in this case, these peripheral units cannot be operated solely, but can only be operated together with other useless parts, and hence electric power is consumed uselessly.
As described above, conventional personal computers are not be furnished with a function of making a peripheral unit thereof operate solely. Therefore, even when the peripheral unit is required to be operated only as a mere peripheral unit, not as part of the computer in operation, the whole computer needs to be operated and hence part of consumed electric power is being wasted.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a computer system capable of making a peripheral unit thereof operate solely.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a computer system whose peripheral unit that is provided therein can be used as a peripheral unit of another device.
A computer system according to the present invention is provided with a power distributor for supplying the electric power to a computer unit and to a peripheral unit separately and when the peripheral unit thereof is operated, the computer unit is not supplied with the electric power or is set in a power-saving mode, so that useless power consumption can be avoided.
Another computer system according to the present invention is provided with a power distributor for supplying the electric power to a computer unit and to a peripheral unit separately, and further provided with a signal selector for connecting either of the computer unit or another computer to the peripheral unit, wherein, when the other computer is connected to the peripheral unit, the computer unit is not supplied with the electric power or is set in a power-saving mode, whereby the peripheral unit can be operated without consuming the extra electric power uselessly.
Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the present invention.
The objects and advantages of the present invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.